Patience is a virtue

Conner Waterfront Park, perhaps best known for its signature salmon slide, now has a new landmark to showcase.

The ribbon was cut Friday to dedicate a long-planned pavilion at the popular shoreline park.

Town Public Works Department staff had worked on the pavilion's construction since December, as time permitted.

"This is another piece of the puzzle put together," said local landscape architect Curt Miller, among a crowd of over 40 on hand for the ceremony.

Mayor Marna Hanneman, Town Parks Commission Chair Ollie Iversen, Public Works Director Brian Lease and Swinomish Indian Tribal Community member Kevin Paul participated in a 45-minute ceremony.

The town council earlier in the week had unanimously adopted a resolution acknowledging completion of the pavilion.

"We're so proud of this," Hanneman said moments before the ribbon cutting. "It's so wonderful."

Paul performed a blessing song for the structure before the baton was passed to Iversen, who keynoted the event and was lauded by Hanneman as "a friend who's pretty special."

Iversen thanked everyone involved over the past 12 years in fundraising for and development of the park and the campaign to build the pavilion, a handsome and functional wood and metal-roofed picnic shelter with a concrete floor.

Iversen harkened back to the spring of 2012 when then-parks commissioners Brian Scheuch, Richard Wisniewski, Bo Miller, Linda Seales and Tom Winn envisioned converting former waterfront industrial lots south of the Sherman Street boat launch into a family-oriented park.

Iversen recalled launching efforts to raise funds for the park by reaching out to John Osberg, whose family foundation immediately got on board with a generous challenge grant. Iversen said the La Conner Rotary Club joined the cause soon after.

Town Councilmember Rick Dole has said that he regularly refers to it as "Ollie's Park" because Iversen has been such a tireless champion.

Iversen, however, is quick to share credit with countless others, including longtime resident Marilyn Thostenson.

Thostenson recalled during the June 11 council meeting that fundraising for the park took numerous shapes and forms.

"Ollie and I stood in the pouring rain during the (canoe) races on the channel," she said. "I carried a coffee can for donations. We made maybe a dollar, certainly not much more than five."

Iversen said park proponents marched in many a parade, in all kinds of weather, where they carried a promotional banner for Conner Waterfront Park.

"You name it," Iversen said Friday, "when it came to fundraising for the park, we did a little bit of everything."

"A lot of people worked very hard for the park," Thostenson said. "It's a real blessing to see the park and now to have the pavilion."

Building the pavilion was a long-range goal as the park evolved. But the Covid-19 pandemic stalled the project's momentum.

Its advocates weren't to be denied, though. When public works stepped in last winter, the finish line began creeping into sight.

Public works employee Tony Pena was on site Friday morning making sure everything was in place.

The celebration included two cakes plus guitar and vocals by parks commissioner Mike Bucy of La Conner Studio 623.

"I love this town," Thostenson had told council when they approved the pavilion dedication resolution. "It takes an awful lot of people and a lot of patience to accomplish things. I love the park and it's truly a gift."